from NJABULO BUTHELEZI in DurbanDURBAN, (CAJ News) – NOW that the dust has settled between the Council of African Football Associations (COSAFA) and Zimbabwe after the latter pulled out of hosting the tournament, the country is again a favourite to put some daylight between themselves and nearest rivals when the COSAFA Cup kicks off in South Africa this weekend.

Conversely, the hosts are counting on home advantage and Zambia are eager to redeem lost pride.

The tournament starts in Durban this weekend after Zimbabwe pulled out citing insufficient time to prepare, incurring the wrath of COSAFA and rising a ban.

While Angola are the perennial dark horses, expect the likes of Namibia to stage some upsets and prove that their qualification for next month’s Africa Cup of Nations was not a fluke.

Add a guest appearance by the ever-improving Uganda and there are assurances this year’s edition of the COSAFA Cup will be among the most explosive in the tournament’s 22-year history.

Coming less than a month before AFCON 2019 in Egypt, this edition offers teams from the region a grand opportunity to test their readiness against Africa’s best in Egypt – the Land of the Pyramids.

The Warriors of Zimbabwe will be favourites to add on to their six titles.

Three of Zimbabwe’s titles have been won in South Africa plus the defending champions will be in familiar territory with most of its players plying their trade in the South African premiership.

The Zimbabweans have played the most matches (55), managed the most wins (33) and scored the most goals (99) to cement their place as the most successful side.

Long-time coach, Sunday “Mhofu” Chidzwamba, the most successful coach in the tournament with four titles, is still at the helm of the side.

His record-breakers resume duty at the quarterfinal stage at the Princess Magogo on June 1, against the winner of Group A, which features Angola, Comoros, eSwatini and Mauritius.

A good tournament will put them in good stead for AFCON, where they are pooled alongside hosts Egypt, Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda in Group A.

Four-time winners South Africa are chasing their first COSAFA title since 2016.

Bafana Bafana entertain Botswana in the quarterfinals on June 2 also at the Princess Magogo.

The hosts are using the tournament to widen their selection pool in preparation for Egypt where they are alongside Ivory Coast, Morocco and Namibia in Group D.

Zambia, another four-time winner, only has the COSAFA Cup as their only hope for silverware this year. A wobbly qualification campaign meant Chipolopolo missed out on the second successive edition of the tournament they won in 2012.

Their last COSAFA title came a year later. Coach Aggrey Chiyangi’s side are seeded and tackle the winner of Group B, consisting of Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia and Seychelles, on June 2 at Princess Magogo.

Three-time winners Angola have been a disappointment in recent editions, their last success coming in 2004. They are another side usitilising the tournament to prepare for their return to the AFCON. The Palancas Negras are in Group E alongside Mali, Mauritania and Tunisia.

Uganda are guest participants but are familiar with COSAFA tournaments having participated at the Women’s Championship in South Africa last year and at Under-20 level in the men’s competition.

The Cranes come with their tails up after qualifying for two successive AFCON tournaments, having waited 39 years to qualify for the 2017 edition.

Stand-in coach, Abdallah Mubiru, was upbeat ahead of the Durban assignment, which starts with a match against Lesotho’ Crocodiles. His side is made up entirely of locally-based players, many from SC Villa, Vipers and Kampala City Council.

“My main target is to perform better in COSAFA by putting up good performances in the tournament, which will earn us respect as coaches, players and the nation at large,” Mubiru told media.

The COSAFA tournament ends on June 8 at the Moses Mabhida Stadium.

– CAJ News

]]>http://cajnewsafrica.com/2019/05/23/cosafa-cup-a-timely-preparation-for-afcon-2019/feed/0Premiership Goal of the Season nominees announcedhttp://cajnewsafrica.com/2019/05/17/premiership-goal-of-the-season-nominees-announced/
http://cajnewsafrica.com/2019/05/17/premiership-goal-of-the-season-nominees-announced/#commentsFri, 17 May 2019 16:31:21 +0000http://cajnewsafrica.com/?p=30623

Khama Billiat

by SAVIOUS KWINIKAJOHANNESBURG, (CAJ News) – THE ABSA premiership have announced three nominees for the 2018/2019 Goal of the Season accolade.

After a week-long voting process, Zimbabwe international Khama Billiat (Kaizer Chiefs), Teboho Mokoena (SuperSport United) and Vincent Pule (Orlando Pirates) have emerged as the top three premiership footballers vying for the award.

They have been nominated for their goals against SuperSport, Golden Arrows and Polokwane City.

Voting for the accolade closed at noon on Friday.

The winning goal will be announced on Sunday night at the annual Premier Soccer League Awards.

Billiat is also nominated for the Nedbank Cup Player of the Tournament while Mokoena is nominated for Absa Premiership Young Player of the Season.

by SAVIOUS KWINIKAJOHANNESBURG, (CAJ News) – THE curtain officially comes down the South African Premiership this coming weekend with the Nedbank Cup final between Kaizer Chiefs and lower division side, TS Galaxy, at the Moses Mabhidha Stadium in Durban.

It is the only trophy on offer after Mamelodi Sundowns defended their league title last Saturday.

Amakhosi, as Kaizer Chiefs are affectionately known in football circles finished a disappointing ninth and are eager to redeem their glory against giant killers TS Galaxy.

A defeat on Saturday would spell doom on Chiefs’ worst spell in years.

Hardworking captain Willard Katsande is to direct all operations in midfield with the support of George Maluleka and Siphelele Ntshangase to curb a TS Galaxy shock.

In defence, Daniel Cardoso, Lorenzo Gordinho, Teenage Hadebe, Siphosakhe Ntiya-Ntiya and Ramahlwe Mphahlele must be at their best to protect either Bruce Bvuma or Daniel Akpeyi in goals for Amakhosi.

The annual Premier Soccer League awards will follow the match.

These comprise Player’s Player of the Season, Coach of the Season, Young Player of the Season, Goalkeeper of the Season, Defender of the Season, Goalscorer of the Season and Best goal of the Season

Other awards to be rewarded are for the MTN8 last Man standing, Telkom Knockout Player of the Tournament, Nedbank Cup Player of the Tournament, Nedbank Cup Most Promising Player, MultiChoice Diski Challenge Player of the Season, MultiChoice Diski Shield Player of the Tournament, Referee of the Season and Assistant Referee of the Season.

There is still plenty of football ahead with the African Cup of Nations in Egypt and Council of Southern Africa Football Associations (COSAFA) Cup following the ABSA premiership break.

by MTHULISI SIBANDA JOHANNESBURG, (CAJ News) – AT face value, the South African Premiership has been enthralling, with the champions and the relegated side to be confirmed on the final day.

While it goes down to the wire, in reality, it has been one of the most forgettable

Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Pitso Mosimane fumes at the assistant match official

campaigns after a series of indiscipline, poor match officiating and boardroom bungling.

The curtain comes down the Absa Premiership on Saturday with holders Mamelodi Sundowns and Orlando Pirates

Bidvest Wits coach Gavin Hunt not happy with referee to disallow striker Terrence Dzvukamanja goal in a match against Supersport United

in contention for the title and R10 million prize money.

At the wrong end of the table, one of Baroka, Black Leopards, Chippa United, Free State Stars and tail-enders Maritzburg United will be relegated to the less glamorous National First Division (NFD) or the taxing playoffs against the sides that finished second and third in the NFD.

While it is the most lucrative football league in Africa, the South African premiership is synonymous with controversy and the 2018/19 was no different, if not the most contentious.

Poor match officiating blighted the campaign. Matters came to a head recently when the match between Bidvest Wits and Supersport United descended into a circus, starring referee Phelelani Ndaba and Abel Maphutha.

A legitimate goal by Zimbabwean hotshot Terrence Dzukamanja was disallowed, denting Wits’ title challenge in a match that eventually ended 1-1.

Ndaba also failed to send off Wits troublemaker, Haashim Domingo, after violent conduct on Supersport United captain Dean Furman. Furman was instead sent off. Assistant referee, Abel Maphutha, was complicit.

Another referee Thokozani Mkhize also stole the show in the recent KwaZulu Natal derby that ended 1-1 between Amazulu and Golden Arrows albeit after some dubious decisions. He was also the man in the middle in a contentious first division match between newly-crowned champions Stellenbosch and TS Galaxy, who were on the receiving end of his ineptitude.

Referee Elphas Sithole had a stinker in the games featuring Supersport and Pirates as well as Wits and Black Leopards.

Not to be outdone, John Landela refereed below par in the matches involving first division campaigners, Tshakhuma and Ubuntu Cape Town, as well as Kaizer Chiefs and Arrows.

The South African Football Association (SAFA) was recently forced to step in to address the rot.

Erring officials will no longer be appointed to handle matches in the Premiership or the first division.

It was not the first time SAFA had to intervene in the mischief characterising the elite league.

Earlier this season, AmaZulu were docked six points for unlawful termination of the contract of Namibian player, Phineas Nambandi.

Relations between Premier Soccer League (PSL) and SAFA have over the years have been frosty. They have mostly been petty. The two organisations clashed again after SAFA secured a sponsorship deal with finance firm, OUTsurance, for match officials.

The deal apparently is in conflict with the rights of Absa and Nedbank, the financial organisations that sponsor the league.

Meanwhile, teams disregarding rules and fielding ineligible players marred the campaign and PSL again found itself in a fix.

PSL dithered on the case involving Sundowns fielding defender Wayne Arendse. The sanction was issued after six months. Weirdly, the player was slapped with a R50 000 fine, a quarter of what the club was fined.

Weird since Arendse did not field himself.

Crowd trouble also returned to haunt the beleaguered league.

A match between hosts Bloemfontein Celtic and Cape Town City was recently abandoned after home fans invaded the pitch. Arguably the most passionate fans, Celtic supporters are disillusioned at the club’s uncertain future.

The campaign has also exposed the dearth of homegrown strikers. Leopards’ Zambian international, Mwape Musonda, leads the charts with 16 goals, a massive nine goals ahead of locals Gift Motupa and Tshegofatso Mabaso.

Zimbabwe Warriors players in jubilation after winning the 2018 COSAFA Cup at Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane, Limpopo, South Africa

from DANAI MWARUMBA in Harare, ZimbabweHARARE, (CAJ News) – THE fallout between the Council of Southern Africa Football Associations (COSAFA) and its affiliate Zimbabwe is worsening after the

Zimbabwe minister of sport, Kirsty Coventry

country hinted it would not host the region’s premier competition next year.

Zimbabwe appears undeterred by the decision of the COSAFA Disciplinary Committee to slap the Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) with a $50 000 (R2,3 million) fine after it pulled out of hosting this year’s edition at the last minute.

Zimbabwe cited inadequate facilities and insufficient time to prepare.

The event will now be held in South Africa.

COSAFA has threatened a fine of $1 million (R14,4 million) penalty, and a ban to the Zimbabwe Warriors if the country again failed to host the next tournament in 2020.

Kirsty Coventry, the local minister of Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation, could not guarantee if the cash-strapped country would host the edition.

“No guarantees were ever signed for 2019 or 2020 (with COSAFA),” she tweeted.

“You cannot threaten an association (ZIFA) with a fine to force them to host an event,” Coventry said.

The minister said hosting would be dependent on if doing so was viable.

“If Cosafa deal for 2020 is good for Zimbabwe, we host. If bad (like 2019), it won’t happen,” Coventry, the former double Olympic swimming champion, insisted.

Phillemon Machana, the acting ZIFA vice president, said the association would discuss with government on the punishment meted by COSAFA.

“Some of the conditions in the judgment also involve our stakeholders like the government, who will guide us because they are the ones who give the guarantees,” Machana said.

Zimbabwe are the most successful side in the COSAFA Cup with six titles.

From left-to-right are Chiredzi athletes Promise Kanuka from Malipati,Victor Gutu and Hlengani Michael

from PATRICK CHITONGO in Chiredzi, ZimbabweCHIREDZI, (CAJ News) – ANIMAL rights and conservancy groups are making the most of the influence of sports globally to raise awareness on the dangers faced by some species in Zimbabwe.

The efforts have been taken the biggest stage, the London Marathon, held in the British capital.

The Kenyan pair, Eliud Kipchoge (men’s race), and Brigid Kosgei (women’s race), emerged the winners of the annual event but endangered species in Zimbabwe and elsewhere in the region were winners.

Three athletes from Chiredzi, southeast Zimbabwe- Hlengani Michael, Promise Khanuka and Victor Gutu- participated at the 52 kilometre London Marathon after the Gonarezhou Trust sponsored them.

They are employees of the Gona reZhou National Park, which is now in a co-management model with the Frankfurt Zoological Society, a Germany based animal conservation that has made a turnaround in flora and fauna in Ginarezhou since the coining of a 20-year co-ownership agreement in 2017 with Parks and Wildlife Management.

“Our focus on this tournament is that while we are raising animal conservation awareness campaigns, we need our employees to have appreciation that they are part of the project,” said Gona reZhou Trust Director, Hugo van Dar Westhulzen.

Van Dar Westhulzen hinted at sponsoring local members of the community to participate in the annual event.

“Next year, we are going to involve members of the community on the same focus,” he said.

Gutu, a game ranger at Gonarezhou, had the most experience leading to the London tournament.

He has twice participated in the 42km Sky Run marathon race in Nyanga, since last year.

Khanuka and Michael were in this event for the first time.

The race is meant to campaign for animal rights and conservancy across Zimbabwe.

by SAVIOUS KWINIKA JOHANNESBURG, (CAJ News) – WHILE the Absa Premiership season pans out to be a two-horse race between holders Mamelodi Sundowns and Orlando Pirates for the second successive season, SuperSport United are the dark horses.

SuperSport are sixth with a game in hand and might end the week on third in the standings .

Their next encounter is against surprise package, Polokwane City, who sits a lofty fifth in the standings.

The sides clash at the Lucas Moripe Stadium in Atteredgeville, Pretoria on Saturday evening.

SuperSport fans believe the fact that the team is not mentioned as
contenders would work in favour of coach Kaitano Tembo’s men.

“Fans and pundits are mentioning Sundowns and Pirates and to a lesser extent Bidvest Wits and Cape Town City. This will definitely work well for Tembo because it takes away pressure from his side,” said Themba Majola.

Wits fan, Lebogang Mmutle, also believes with his side’s slump in recent weeks, SuperSport United can mount a challenge for the title.

Wits are third with 41 points, three less than joint-leaders Sundowns and Pirates. The defending champions have a game in hand.

The campaign resumes on Friday when relegation-haunted Chippa United host Wits at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth.

On Saturday, Black Leopards and Kaizer Chiefs, will both be looking to bounce back from weekend defeats when they play at the Thohoyandou Stadium.

from ADANE BIKILA in Addis Ababa, EthiopiaADDIS ABABA, (CAJ News) – LONG distance Ethiopian athletes showed the world what African runners can do when they dominated both men and women’s races in

Tebalu Zawude Heyi

Rome, Italy on Sunday.

Hard running Tebalu Zawude Heyi beat a cluster of 10,000 other contestants to win ahead of fellow countrymen Tesfa Wokneth and Yihunilign Adane as Ethiopia clinched all top three men’s category.

Heyi came first in 2hr 8min 37sec followed by Wokneth (2.9:17) whilst Adane compelted the Ethiopians’ domination of the men’s International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) in 2.9: 53.

As that was not enough, Ethiopian ladies Alemu Megertu, Muluhabt Tsega and Chaltu Negesse outclassed their rivals in stunning performance as they equally dominated women’s race in (2.22:52), (2.26:41) and (2.30:45) respectively.

The race was the 25th Rome Marathon in both men’s and women’s events that saw Ethiopians raise their country’s flag high.

from DANAI MWARUMBA in Harare, ZimbabweHARARE, (CAJ News) –ZIMBABWE’S junior rugby side will be eager to give the country an early Independence Day present and bring solace to the besieged nation when they host the Under20 Barthés Trophy.

The team is hopeful of promotion to the elite group of what is the only Rugby Africa junior tournament.

The Junior Sables will host four Group B fixtures in the capital Harare, with two back-to-back matches scheduled for April 17, the eve of Independence Day, at the Machinery Exchange Stadium, Harare.

The tournament coincides with the aftermath of the Cyclone Idai that has killed over 200 people, with the death toll rising rapidly.

Zimbabwe’s will host Ivory Coast at 14h00 local time and Morocco faces Madagascar on the same field three hours later.

The Harare Sports Club will host the remaining two fixtures on April 20.

For Zimbabwe qualification will mean promotion from Group B into the Group A.